Sunday, April 24, 2011

Our bar of the week is one of those rare chocolates made in the same country in which the cacao beans were grown. República Del Cacao's Manabi bar is produced in Quito from Arriba Nacional cacao grown in the western province of Manabi. In case you'd like to have a closer look at the area, the bar's packaging includes the GPS coordinates of the relevant farm.

Although Manabi is a 75% dark chocolate, its profile is what you might call "relaxed". Soft fruity flavors unfold slowly as the chocolate melts, growing into a mild but well-rounded sweetness that fades just as laconically. This gentle, fresh-tasting chocolate is perfect for spring palates.

Come by and try República Del Cacao's Manabi at our Braven store on Thursday, April 28, or at our Queen Anne store on Saturday, April 30.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Our bar of the week comes from Italian chocolate maker Domori. Sur del Lago is a 70% dark chocolate made from Venezuelan cacao grown south of Lake Maracaibo. It's smooth, rich, and well-rounded, with notes of almonds and coffee, and a subtle smokiness.
Come by and try Domori's Sur del Lago at our Braven store on Thursday, April 21st, or at our Queen Anne store on Saturday, April 23rd.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

This week we're focusing on a bar from Italian chocolate artisan Amedei. The Toscano range of bars features a carefully chosen blend of different cacaos, presented in a range of different percentages. The 63% is a creamy, full-flavored dark chocolate with an unusal and evocative flavor profile. Amedei suggests that tasters pay particular attention to the aromas, which may include, "Mediterranean woodland, millefleurs honey, a hint of bread baked in a wood oven, fresh tobacco, [and] green tomato chutney."

Will you detect the tobacco, the chutney, or something else entirely? Try a sample and find out; Thursday, April 14th, at our Bravern branch, or Saturday, April 16th, at our store on top of Queen Anne.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Our bar of the week is an especially delectable representative from our "inclusions" section. Madecasse's Sea Salt & Nibs bar blends their 63% dark chocolate with crunchy nibs and a sprinkle of salt for a sweet-bitter-fruity-savory flavor extravaganza. As always, Madecasse's chocolate is made in Madagascar from local cacao, ensuring that a higher percentage of the company's profits benefit the local community.

You'll have two chances to try this delicious bar: at our Bravern store on Thursday, April 7th, or at our Queen Anne store on Saturday, April 9th.